The girl next door?

Rihanna has been in the headlines again this week, prompting discussions as to the suitability of her live shows for those of a young, impressionable age. “She has to push the boundaries,” enlightened ex-Atomic Kitten singer Liz McClarnon, on Monday’s edition of The Wright Stuff! Does she? Is she? Why? Which boundaries are those, Liz? Musically, like most pop stars, she hasn’t a clue. DJ Tony Blackburn disagrees with me, claiming Rihanna to be very talented and with no real need to overtly sexualise her every single action. And these are the boundaries under discussion, social mores. But, even here, she’s not really doing anything that hasn’t been done before, manifold. In my youth, I was keen on a five-piece all-female band from America called The Runaways. They appeared on the scene around the same time as Blondie and I, for one, found them more appealing than Debbie Harry and the guys! I was older though, than the children parents are taking to see Rihanna simulating sex and sing about guys not being able to get it up! But the lead singer of The Runaways, Cherie Currie, dressed equally as provocatively, in a basque, knickers, stockings and suspenders, whilst triumphantly exclaiming, in their debut single Cherry Bomb, she was gonna, “have you, grab you, ’til you’re sore!”

I saw The Runaways live twice, once in Birmingham, in an enormous converted railway shed - the name of which escapes me, and latterly at The Hammersmith Odeon, London. I suppose, in retrospect, the Brummie gig was the more memorable experience. I was right at the front of the stage, with Cherie, who must be about the same age as me, spreading her legs directly in my face with only a small piece of cotton separating her womanhood from my leering eyes… and those of a thousand other young innocents! I also remember vast tables selling paperbacks including American prints of Space: 1999 novelisations, but that’s another music in a different kitchen!! When I saw the band for the second and last time, Miss Currie had departed, for whatever reason, and Joan Jett had taken centre stage. The Queens Of Noize, as they were nicknamed after the title of their second album, perhaps wanted to be taken more seriously. As a four-piece, they were less glam rock and more hard rock. They were in the UK to promote their latest album, Waitin’ For The Night. The lead single, School Days, has the deepest pressing of any in my collection and is probably the loudest piece of vinyl I own! It’s definitely not as loud on the album, despite being exactly the same recording!

Joan is probably better known, now, as the singer of I Love Rock ‘N’ Roll with her band The Blackhearts. This song was covered by Britney Spears. She, herself, caused controversy for dressing up as a schoolgirl in her debut video for Baby, One More Time. About the same time, Russian duo t.A.T.u. were appalling the easily shocked, running around kissing each other wearing only vagina-hugging panties and see-through shirts. Both Lena Katina and Yulia Volkova have since appeared topless in the uncensored promo for White Robe. Lena takes off her knickers, too, so maybe Rihanna still has some way to go in pushing those social boundaries. Lena’s not the first. I recall a member of L7 pulling her trousers down during a performance on Channel 4’s The Word and giving us all a glimpse of her pubic hair. Can’t remember what the song was! As for lyrics, pop records have always been predominantly about sex. Gary Glitter was chanting Do Ya Wanna Touch Me?, which Joan Jett has covered, back in the early Seventies and bragging he was “the man who put the bang in gang”, so why his later activities came as any surprise is beyond me! And so the debate goes on, with Rihanna the latest in a long line advocating promiscuity of one sort or another but as Mick once put it, “It’s Only Rock ‘N’ Roll… but I like it…”

Whiter than White!

I feel I should apologise unreservedly for the gratuitous use of the word “knickers” in my previous post! I had no idea it could cause anyone the least offence. While I’m at it, I would also like to express deep regret for mentioning the unmentionable - “bra and panties” if you missed it, or couldn’t be bothered reading the text accompanying the supposedly salacious shot of t.A.T.u.’s lovely Lena! Following the premiere of Julie Walters vehicle “Filth: The Mary Whitehouse Story” last Wednesday evening, I bring the matter to your attention, now, upon the realisation that, were she still alive, Mary Whitehouse would not have found my article “appropriate”. But, then, she seems to have had no sense of humour whatsoever…

There is the possibility that the BBC are partially responsible for this country’s continuing decline in moral standards, whatever they may be, but to make a complaint, even back in 1967, over the airing of The Beatles’ witty classic “I Am The Walrus” defies belief! Mary was worried about the then-forthcoming transmission of the group’s “Magical Mystery Tour” TV movie, scheduled for broadcast on Boxing Day of said year, when many families would be watching, no doubt assuming that any mention of ladies’ lingerie would be a corrupting influence on impressionable minds. I find it hard to imagine the tireless campaigner listening to any pop record with such intensity, ready to jot down the slightest deviancy! The offending lyric, which caused Mrs Whitehouse much concern, reads…

Yellow matter custard, dripping from a dead dog’s eye.
Crabalocker fishwife, pornographic priestess,
Boy, you been a naughty girl, you let your knickers down.
I am the eggman, they are the eggmen,
I am the walrus, goo goo g’joob.

The inspiration for Lennon’s lyric actually comes from a playground nursery rhyme…

Yellow matter custard, green slop pie,
All mixed together with a dead dog’s eye,
Slap it on a butty, ten foot thick,
Then wash it all down with a cup of cold sick.

You could argue that the latter is more offensive than the former, certainly more disgusting, yet these words were heard out of the mouths of babes and sucklings long before the advent of the Nanny State. But the word that bothered Mary was “knickers”. The undergarment is simply an item of clothing, a piece of cloth, so I can only assume it was the association, that said piece of material actually comes into contact with a woman’s vagina, which bothered her. This says more about her state of mind than anything else! Surely, next post, I should apologise for using the word “vagina” but at least I didn’t use the vulva term “pussy” or, worse still, “cunt”!!

In the Eye of the Beholder

t.A.T.u. have released an extended video of “White Robe”, the lead single from their third studio album “Waste Management”, in which both Lena Katina and Yulia Volkova appear naked. Whether or not screen nudity upsets you, it isn’t in the least bit sensationalistic and works in the context of the narrative. Yulia is seen in the shower, water gushing over her breasts. In the original edit, the images were cropped to keep them hidden from view. Second time around, a close-up of one of her nipples is probably intended to suggest, in light of the closing revelation, that her breasts are full of milk ready to feed her unborn child. No doubt, some will suggest this is a marketing ploy. Red-headed Lena’s motives for stripping on camera are a little less clear, other than that she needs to change for work! At the start, she seems to be returning from a night on the town but it’s unclear whether or not she is moonlighting as a hooker. Her skirt is short enough to reveal her red knickers. These, in turn, are tight enough to show the cheeks of her bottom. She later removes them, together with her black bra and torn stockings, whilst lying flat on her back on her bed.

I believe the t.A.T.u. girls should’ve gone a stage further, at the end of the story, in the build up to Yulia’s execution. Rather than removing only the “White Robe” of the prisoner, it might’ve increased her vulnerability had the prison warders taken off Yulia’s bra and panties as well. With all “armour” removed, and heavily pregnant, it would have the effect of making the girl look completely defenceless. But, it’s only a minor quibble. However, I’m not sure the addition of a laughing audience, watching the “termination” of these two lives, adds significantly to the impact of the clip. I’ve never subscribed to the notion of nudity as naughty! None of it here relates, in any way, to sex but simply shows both characters as human. The girls are beautiful both in and out of clothes. After we’ve seen Lena completely naked, she appears in fresh underwear, distancing herself from her humanity by dressing in the uniform of executioner. To be honest, I think the shorter version of the song, which I posted back in January on my Jukebox blog, works better. Both realisations are hard-hitting though, regardless of preference!

“The Best”?!!

A t.A.T.u. greatest hits package, mostly comprising tracks from their first two studio albums, was released last year and passed me by unnoticed which, considering I consider myself a bit of a fan, surprised me when I found out earlier in the week! Perhaps I was unaware of it because I wasn’t expecting it. How many groups release a compilation after such a relatively short time on the pop music scene? This suggests, therefore, that they expect their success to be short-lived and that time is running out for them to cash in on their popularity. Maybe I’m over cynical but I get the feeling that they’re not particularly popular in the UK anyway! Save their number one hit single, “All the Things She Said”, I’m sure most people are hard pushed to name another song by the female duo. Participating in the Eurovision Song Contest probably didn’t help their credibility, even if it was an honour to represent their country, and not winning is always something of an embarrassment for a well-established name. I’ve always thought the UK might do better if we entered someone like Girls Aloud but they probably wouldn’t want to risk their reputation, such as it is, for the reasons already stated in relation to t.A.T.u..

On the other hand, the t.A.T.u. album, “The Best”, is certainly value for money in terms of quantity, especially if you haven’t invested in any of their back catalogue. It contains twenty tracks while the deluxe edition also comes with a DVD. Surprisingly, the CD opens with “All About Us”, the lead single from their second album “Dangerous and Moving”. The title “All About Us” rather-literally indicates what is to follow! The single was a number one in foreign climes but not in this country. “Dangerous and Moving” seemed only to receive a limited release here. I saw the single in supermarkets but not the collection from which it was taken, prompting me to ask, at the time, if they would be stocking it… for which I received the usual bemused look! If Asda, and such places, want to dominate in this arena, they’re going to have to work a little harder. If they don’t want to stock a, presumably, major release by a well-known pop artist, choice will become incredibly restricted for the consumer, if it isn’t already. It’s not like I was asking for “Pithoprakta” by Xenakis or Ligeti’s “Lontano”!

I was dubious about the choice of “The Best” for the title, too, rather than “The Best of”, a seemingly-insignificant distinction, you might think, but the former implies a somewhat arrogant assumption. Then I discovered the record was originally going to be called “The Chrysalis Period”! Seeing as t.A.T.u. are pop stars with SF inclinations, perhaps the girls should follow Billie and Kylie into “Doctor Who”!!

a.L.L. T.h.e. s.O.N.g.s. T.h.e.Y. s.A.N.g.

t.A.T.u. live, December 2006

Charlie Salutes t.A.T.u.

This picture brought a smile to my face when I found it earlier in the week. Russian rockers meet British Royalty shock! Actually, Yulia Volkova and Lena Katina, better known as pop duo t.A.T.u., look really chuffed at meeting HRH the Prince of Wales. What I want to know though is how long does it take to get your handkerchief looking so perfectly poised?!! Charles seems to be enjoying himself, however, getting down with the kids, as a certain Doctor Tennant once put it. Usually dark-haired but here blonde, Yulia is drinking white while Lena is also drinking wine to match the colour of her hair.

The occasion is to celebrate the work of pop producer Trevor Horn. He was the man behind Buggles, giving us the immortal “Video Killed the Radio Star”, but is perhaps best known for producing Frankie Goes to Hollywood and their notorious number one hit single “Relax”. As is usually the case with me, I prefer some of his lesser known output. In particular, Propaganda’s “A Secret Wish” is one of my three favourite pop albums of all-time (the others being Siouxsie and the Banshee’s “The Scream” and Magazine’s “Real Life”). This LP spawned the hit single “Duel” and before that the equally excellent “Dr. Mabuse”. Trevor also produced a single by a little known French singer called Anne Pigalle, “Hey Stranger”, which is also worth a listen. And, bringing us into the 21st Century, he has applied his skill to bringing the Russian duo to a British audience. Including Prince Charles it would seem!

Friend or Foe?

I suppose this contradicts what I was saying in my last post, to a certain extent, but we are all full of contradictions! "Friend or Foe" is the new single by t.A.T.u. out this week, taken from their second album "Dangerous and Moving". Reviews have been poor, asking what happened to the t.A.T.u. that gave us "All the Things She Said", but all the trademark sonorities are still in place... high vocal line, synthesiser solo etc.

The song is by Dave Stewart, Annie Lennox's sparring partner firstly in The Tourists, who I saw support Roxy Music in Leicester before they became famous, and more recently in Eurythmics. A few years back Stewart worked with Bryan Ferry on his solo album "Frantic". The sleeve of the new t.A.T.u. CD single was taken by Bryan Adams and the track itself features ex-Police frontman Sting on bass! One reviewer described Stewart/Adams/Sting as the unholy trinity. I don't quite know what religion has to do with it?!!

Pictured at the piano is Lena Katina, one half of the duo t.A.T.u., during the shooting of the video for "Friend or Foe". It is unlikely to be number one this Sunday. That dubious honour will no doubt fall to Leo Sayer for only the second time in his career.

Back from the USSR!

Three years after t.A.T.u burst onto the pop scene amid a blaze of publicity, and scored a number one hit with their UK debut "All The Things She Said", the controversial Russian duo are back with a new album and single. The single, "All About Us", charted well while the album, "Dangerous And Moving", which came out on 10 October, seems to have found only a limited release. I have seen it in HMV but in none of the supermarkets which is a shame as I think it is power pop at its best!

On the left of the above picture is Julia Volkova and on the right redhead Lena Katina whose on stage antics together seemed to upset a lot of media folk prompting chatshow hosts Richard and Judy to suggest their viewers boycott the girls' original release. The former "This Morning" presenters might do better to target the misogynistic lyrics of certain rappers than attack something as mild as this and which is no more than a marketing gimmick. In any case, it made no difference to the success of what I think is a perfectly crafted pop song though that probably had as much to do with the skill of Trevor Horn's production as it did the ability of the two singers!